Towing my tractor with the canopy?

lug nut · Jun 21, 2007

I installed the canopy on my tractor today, and I noticed something kinda scary while I was hauling it home. I got on the interstate and started to get up to speed. I looked back at my tractor and saw that the canopy was moving a good bit up and down due to the wind. I got off at the next exit and took the scenic route home.

Am I just being paronoid, or will my canopy eventually crack and/or break off all together?

crbr · Jun 21, 2007

lug nut said:
I installed the canopy on my tractor today, and I noticed something kinda scary while I was hauling it home. I got on the interstate and started to get up to speed. I looked back at my tractor and saw that the canopy was moving a good bit up and down due to the wind. I got off at the next exit and took the scenic route home.

Am I just being paronoid, or will my canopy eventually crack and/or break off all together?

I don't have a canopy but I'd say that if it looks like smoke and smells like smoke, the top may be in jeopardy. I say this relative to towing a boat with a cover. Not a good idea at all. I also tow pontoon boats with hard tops. They are a bit larger and have more supports, but I hate to tow one at interstate speeds for the same concerns.

radman1 · Jun 21, 2007

The best way to haul your tractor with a canopy, is to haul it backwards on the trailer. Little risk of damage this way. (This is assuming your canopy is fastened to your ROPS and most of the canopy faces forward.)

sullyfe · Jun 21, 2007

I tow all the time with mine and have not damaged either tractor.
They are the metal ones with a metal frame. Hopes this helps.

Sully

lug nut · Jun 21, 2007

I forgot to mention that my canopy is fiberglass and is only attatched to the ROPS. I thought about fabbing some supports for the front of the canopy, not only to help while towing but also with tree limbs snagging it.

DirtHauler · Jun 21, 2007

Even though mine is removable, some times I get lazy when going from job to job, so now I just throw one of my ratchet straps over it and snug it down to the tractor, keeps it from flopping up and down.

BB_TX · Jun 22, 2007

Mine is fiberglass. When I trailer it, I run two of the small ratchet straps over it. I hook one end of each one at the back edge of the canopy toward each outside edge, run them over the top, then hook the other ends on the steering wheel, and just snug them a little. That way it can't get air under it and rise up into the main airstream and rip off. Works fine.

Diamondpilot · Jun 22, 2007

I always tow my tractor with it on the trailer backwards. It helps my canopoy and levels my trailer out this way a little better.

Chris

jwstewar · Jun 24, 2007

I haven't towed my tractor since I put the fiberglass canopy on (actually I've never towed it

), but last year after I installed it I had to have the dealer pick it up. The dealer just loaded it on the truck forward and didn't do anything special. Just hauled it. I'm assuming they traveled between 55 & 60 with it. Probably 30 - 40 miles to the dealer. I've not noticed any problems with it since the hauling.